Assistant Dean of Faculty Judith White will leave in August to become a special assistant to the president of Duke University and the school's Sexual Harassment Prevention Coordinator.
White came to the College in May 1988 as the first director of the Women's Resource Center and said she is sad to leave Dartmouth but feels satisfied withher five years here.
"Dartmouth has been a wonderful place to work. I am proud of what I have been able to do and look forward to building on that at Duke," White said.
Alex Huppe, College spokesman who worked with White on the Committee for Public Affairs and on the editorial board of Dartmouth Life, described White as well suited for her new positions.
In her first year at Dartmouth, White was charged with translating the idea of a Woman's Resource Center into actual programs that would appeal to a broad range of students.
"Judith used her knowledge to keep the center from quickly becoming politicized, and as a result we now have a much more representative group than can be seen on other campuses," Mary Childers, current director of the WRC said.
As assistant dean, a position she accepted in 1990, "she was someone who played an important role in advising me and others. Judith had great wisdom, and tremendous judgment," according to Dean of Faculty James Wright.
Hired as Duke's Sexual Harassment Prevention Coordinator, White feels "Duke is getting someone who is experienced and confident of coming to good solutions in a college setting," given her experience at Dartmouth.
"I feel we have done more here at Dartmouth on sexual assault and harassment than at Duke."
White will also become the special assistant for incoming president Nan Koehane, the first woman president of Duke University and former president of Wellesley College.
White remained heavily involved in women's issues even after becoming assistant dean. She pioneered the women's faculty mentoring network. As the chair of the College's committee on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment, White was instrumental in recommending policy changes which insured that students involved in sexual assault complaints got consistent advice from counselors.
According to Heather Earle, coordinator of Sexual Awareness and Abuse Programs, her concern with students and their interests was always clear.
"As chair of SASH, she would reach out and encourage students to participate in meetings," Earle said.
"As a mentor, she was instrumental in helping me professionally. She taught me the ropes administratively, but allowed me to spread my own wings at the same time," added Earle, who came to the College while White was serving as the chair of SASH.
White has taught three courses while at Dartmouth and will continue to teach one course a year while at Duke. This way White says she can continue "to be with students who are looking at things that are important to them and me."
